Advance-Fee Scams in Thailand
Prepayment fraud targeting Thai victims with lottery wins, government welfare notifications, and inheritance claims that require upfront fees before funds are released.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance-fee fraud is one of Thailand's most common consumer fraud types, adapted to Thai cultural context: fake national lottery (สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล) prize notifications, impersonation of welfare payment programs (โครงการรัฐสวัสดิการ), or fabricated inheritance from overseas. These schemes are delivered via SMS, Line, and Facebook.
The Government Lottery Office (GLO) has repeatedly issued warnings about fake lottery win notifications, as the Thai national lottery is widely played and prize notifications are a familiar concept.
How this scam works on Thailand
An SMS or Line message claims the recipient has won a special draw from the Government Lottery Office and must pay a small processing or tax fee via PromptPay to release the prize. The fee-to-prize ratio seems favorable, encouraging victims to pay.
Welfare program variants reference real Thai government programs (บัตรสวัสดิการแห่งรัฐ — state welfare card) and claim the recipient has uncollected benefits requiring a verification fee. Foreign inheritance variants, though less Thailand-specific, also circulate targeting Thais who may have worked abroad.
As with other markets, each payment generates a new fee requirement, and the promised funds never arrive.
Common red flags
- Lottery win notification for the national lottery via SMS or Line
- Any fee required before lottery prize or government benefit is released
- Government welfare notification via Line or personal number rather than official apps
- Escalating fees with each payment generating a new requirement
- Instructions to keep the matter confidential
How to protect yourself
- Thai national lottery (GLO) prizes are paid in person at authorized payment points — no fees are charged
- Verify any alleged welfare benefit through the official Krung Thai Bank app or welfare portal
- Never pay a fee to claim a prize or government benefit
- Report the message to the AOC 1441 hotline
- Share unexpected windfall notifications with trusted family before taking action
How to report it
- Report to Thailand's AOC 1441 hotline
- File with the Royal Thai Police CCIB at ccib.police.go.th
- Report GLO impersonation directly to the Government Lottery Office at glo.or.th
Frequently asked questions
How does the legitimate Thai Government Lottery Office pay prizes?
Thai Government Lottery (สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล) prizes are paid at authorized commercial banks or at GLO headquarters with the original winning ticket. No phone call, SMS, or Line message is used to notify winners of individual ticket prizes. Any message claiming you won a lottery prize you did not buy tickets for is fraud.